Artist: All Out War
Label: Victory Records
Release Date: 10/21/03
Rating: 4 Skulls
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Title: Condemned to Suffer Artist: All Out War Label: Victory Records Release Date: 10/21/03
Rating: 4 Skulls |
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Reviewed by Jotun (10/24/03):
FINALLY! All Out War has followed up on their tough-as-nails 1998 debut For Those Who Were Crucified. It took them some time, and some repairs to major internal issues, but the band is back and they don't sound like they have missed a beat.I remember like it was yesterday. It was the New England Metal and Hardcore Festival in 2001 when All Out War took the second stage. It was there that the band declared they would be playing their last performance. It was an awesome experience and, overall, a fitting way to go out. Now, some two years later, they are back and as strong as ever, waiting to conquer any territories and minds they haven't already.
In all honesty, the new album, Condemned To Suffer, doesn't sound all that much different from their first one. There are nice, subtle changes and addendums to their successful sound, but nothing that really says "Wow, is this really All Out War?" This is good for fans of the first album, but at the same time, I was expecting a little more. With this being said, Condemned To Suffer is a very solid metalcore album - one that really blows away all these "experimental" metalcore bands that just sound like they move in too many directions or don't know how to incorporate their various influences into one, well-executed sound.
Condemned To Suffer is the band's heaviest material to date, with the addition of even more Slayer riffs than ever before. It is easy, and common, to say that a band sounds like Slayer, but kudos to All Out War for having the balls to actually go out there and write some sick guitar solos mixed into their thrash-happy verses and breakdowns to give the ultimate metal-hardcore concoction. Track three, "Bleeding the Weak", even has some Carnal Forge-type thrash riffs, which is nothing to complain about. The addition of some low death metal growls on "Destined to Burn" are a nice touch, coupled with the song,s hardcore riffs and sing-a-longs. Finally, "Hypocrites of the Revolution" contains a killer slow, grinding breakdown that shows that All Out War can indeed reinvent the wheel when it comes to the over-saturated sounds of metalcore.
Overall, Condemned To Suffer kicks some ass. It may not be exactly what long-time fans thought they were waiting for, but it is a solid album that puts a lot of other bands to shame.
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